Feeding and controlling the flow of granular materials



June 3, 1958 w. R058 2,837,194

FEEDING AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OP GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Nov. 16, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 3,1958 w. 53 2,837,194

. R0 FEEDING AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF GRANULAR MATERIALS- Filed Nov. 16, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 3, 1958 W. ROSS 2,837,194

FEEDING AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW 0F GRANUISAR MATERIALS Filed Nov. 16, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Unite AND CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF GRANULAR MATERIALS FEEDING This invention relates to equipment for feeding and controlling the flow of granular materials, such as stones, ore, coke, coal, sand and the like when falling either freely or wholly or partially supported by a chute, and more particularly to such equipment of the kind where the controlling apparatus comprises a flexible apron or curtain formed of endless chains supported at one position for rotation in an orbital path so that the chains rest on the material and control its fall, the chains themselves usually being formed of links of considerable weight, such as ship anchor chains, mooring chains, crane chains or the like.

In equipment of this character heretofore known, the chains have usually been supported and driven by a rotating drum having a set of bars so spaced around the drum surface as to engage alternate links of the chain loops, but such equipment has been found to possess a number of disadvantages in that the movement is somewhat jerky due to the engagement of alternate links only, a swing is imparted to the upcoming curtain of chain, a blow is imparted to the drum bars as the links make contact, alternate up and down movements are imparted to the chain loops as each drum bar moves up and down from the top position as the drum revolves, there is a considerable dilference in the work done on the material by alternate links, and there is an uneven delivery of material from an inclined chute on account of the links being in line abreast formation, the material being released in gulps as the chain links pass the bottom end of the chute.

The present invention has for its main object to overcome these disadvantages, and the invention accordingly consists in an apparatus of the kind referred to wherein the drum for supporting and driving the chains is so constructed that the chain links when passing round the drum are disposed in planes inclined to the drum axis at angles less than 90.

According to the preferred arrangement, the links are disposed in planes inclined to the drum surface at approximately 45, whereby the successive or adjacent links are oppositely inclined to the drum surface at substantially equal angles.

Preferably also the drum is so constructed that the links of adjacent chains on the drum are staggered with respect to one another. v

The invention will be more completely understood from the following detailed description which is given in conjunction With the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are side and front views respectively of a controlling apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is a part sectional fragmentary view of the drum surface of the aparatus showing one method of locating the chain links in position;

Figure 4 is a part sectional fragmentary view of the drum surface of the apparatus showing an alternative method of locating the chain links in position;

Patent Figures 5 and 6 are sectional end views of two modified forms of drum;

Figures 7 and 8 are end and front views respectively of a drum provided with means for staggering the adjacent chain links; and

Figure 9 is a sectional end view of the drum shown in Figure 4.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 of these drawings, the equipment comprises a chute 1 down which the material 2 such as stones, ore, coke, coal, sand or the like is adapted to travel and a flexible apron or curtain formed by a set of endless chains 3 suspended from a drum 4, so that the lower ends of the chains hang down and rest against the material flowing down the chute. The drum 4 is mounted upon and keyed to a driving shaft 5 which is mounted in suitably arranged bearings, and the drum is provided with a pair of discs 6, 7 suitably spaced apart to provide limiting stops for the chains 3, which conveniently consist of ship anchor chains, cast chains, mooring chains, crane chains or'the like. The drum surface is provided with sets of projecting parts 801, 8b, 8c and 13a, 13b, 130, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 for engaging with the links of the chain, and these projecting parts are so shaped and arranged that the successive or adjacent links 9, of a chain are oppositely inclined to the drum surface at the angle of approximately so that instead of one link being fiat on the drum surface, and the next being upright as in the case of orthodox arrangements, all the links are arranged to lie half over, one lying over to the right and the next lying over to the left, so that all the links make equal engagement with the material flowing down the chute instead of only alternate links thus causing the material to be delivered in a steady flow instead of spasmodically, this also levels out the power.

These projecting members are conveniently of triangular section and they may either be welded to the drum surface as shown in Figure 3 or they may be formed by casting as shown in Figure 4.

In addition, and in order to provide a more effective grip between the chains and the drum surface, the latter may 'be of octagonal cross-section as shown in Figure 5 or a set of projecting bars 11 as shown in Figure 6 may be provided to engage with the chain links as they pass round the drum surface.

In order to reduce noise as much as possible, the aforesaid projecting members may be disposed at different radial positions on the drum surface so that the links of adjacent chains are staggered so as to break the pitch of the successive chains and thereby cause the noise to be produced in the form of a ripple instead of a heavy thud at spasmodic intervals. One such arrangement is shown in Figures 3, 7 and 8 in which the projecting members 8a, 8b, 8c etc. and 13a, 13b, 130 etc. are welded to the drum surface 4 and discs 6, While in Figures 4 and 9 a similar arrangement is shown but in which the projecting members 8a, 8b, 8c etc. and 13a, 13b, 130 etc. are formed integrally with the drum 4 by casting, the shaft 12 in this case being of square cross-section for making effective engagement with the interior of the drum 4.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling the flow of granular material comprising a set of endless chains suspended from a driving drum in such a way as to rest on the material and control its fall, wherein said drum is so constructed that the chain links, when passing round the drum, are disposed in planes inclined to the drum surface at angles between zero and 2. Apparatus for controlling the flow of granular material comprising a set of endless chains suspended from a driving drum in such a way as to control its fall, wherein said drum is so constructed that the chain links, when passing round the drum, are disposed in planes inclined to the drum surface at approximately 45, whereby the adjacent links are oppositely inclined to the drum surface at substantially equal angles.

3. Apparatus for controlling the flow of granular material comprising a set of endless chains suspended from a driving drum in such a way as to control its fall, and

means on, the drum surface for engaging with the chain links and for holding them in planes inclined to the drum surface at angles between zero and 90 while they are in contact with the drum surface.

4. Apparatus for controlling the flow of granular material comprising a set of endless chains suspended from a driving drum in such a way as to control its fall, and means on the drum surface for engaging with the chain links and for holding them in planes inclined to the drum surface at approximately 45 While they are in contact with the drum surface, whereby the adjacent links are oppositely inclined to the drum surface atsubstantially equal angles. 7 Y

5. Apparatus for controlling the flow of granular material comprising a set of endless chains suspended from a driving drum in such a way as to control its fall, and a set of projecting members so disposed on the drum surface as to engage with the chain links and hold them at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the drum axis while they are in contact with the drum surface, whereby the adjacent links are oppositely inclined to the drum surface at substantially equal angles.

6. Apparatus for controlling the flow of granular material comprising a set of endless chains suspended from a driving drum in such a way as to control its fall, and means on the drum surface for engaging with the chain links and for holding them in planes inclined to the drum surface at approximately 4-5 while they are in contact with the drum surface, whereby the adjacent links are oppositely inclined to the drum surface at substantially equal angles, said projecting members beingso arranged on the drum surface that the links of adjacent chains are staggered with respect to one another.

7. Apparatus for controlling the flow of granular material comprising a set of endless chains suspended from a driving drum in such a way as to control its fall, and aset of projecting members so disposed on the drum surface as to engage with the chain links and hold them at an angle of approximately with respect to the drum axis while they are in contact with the drum surface, whereby the adjacent links are oppositely inclined to the drum surface at substantially equal angles, said projecting members being so arranged on the drum surface that the links of adjacent chains are staggered with respect to one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 366,680 Great Britain Oct. 20, 1930 532,231 Great Britain J an. 20, 1941 17,335 Australia June 26, 1929 

